THE GALLERY
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The last batch of purpose built doubledeck coaches for the Thames Valley fleet
for services A and B from Reading to London were D4-8 (ABL116-119B, BRX141B).
As with other London coaches they were initially in normal bus livery. D7
is seen in Langley when new.
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D5 is seen loading at the Drake Avenue bus stop in Langley. The interior of
these buses featured dark red leather piped in cream with quite ornate
fittings on heater grills and the like.
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Thames Valley 836 (UJB202) is one of the earlier batch of 1960 Lodekka FLFs
for the London routes. Unusually they had a single piece sliding door, whereas
D4-D8 had conventional four piece sliding doors. All 10 were repainted in
South Midland colours in the lates sixties. Here 836 is seen leaving Reading's
now defunct bus station.
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Another view of D7 (ABL119B) in its South Midland colours. At the next repaint
all ten Lodekkas were repainted in the same style but using Tilling Red instead
of South Midland maroon. The buses thus looked like escapees from Brighton,
Hove & District, though they retained the coach features, including the
illuminated fleetnames.
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D4 (ABL116B) came to an unhappy end. Though its days of London express duties were over it was one of several buses destroyed in a small fire in the Thorn Walk yard of Alder Valley. |
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